1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article of furniture for institutional use such as in hospitals, school dormitories, and government housing where such furniture may be placed in waiting areas, public lounges, patient rooms or military homes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hospital waiting rooms and public lounges, for example must provide seating to accommodate the many people who occupy such areas. Often, such seating areas are furnished with chairs that are not necessarily as strong comfortable or durable as desired. Undesirably, if a chair is damaged the chair must be sent to a facility to be repaired or replaced completely.
Furniture in military housing is typically supplied by the government so that servicemen and women do not have the burden of frequently moving their furniture from place to place, as it is not uncommon for a military family to move as often as every three to four months. Due to the number of people using the furniture provided by the government in such housing, the furniture is used and sometimes worn, thereby creating an environment for military families which is perceived as substandard, or even unwelcome.
A more comfortable, durable and repairable article of furniture for use in institutional markets is desired.
The present invention provides an article of furniture, viz. a chair, for institutional use such as in hospital waiting rooms, school dormitories, military housing and the like. The chair has six parts which are easy to assemble and upholster, the upholstery material being attached to each part by hook and loop complimentary fasteners. The chairs are durable, comfortable, repairable in the field and reconditioned to a xe2x80x9clike-newxe2x80x9d appearance by simply changing the upholstery.
The chair of the present invention includes two arms, a front member disposed between the arms, a seat back and a seat deck which supports a seat cushion. The arms are fixed to the front member by bolts while a pair of brackets, one on each arm, receives the back of the chair. The seat deck is supported by and secured to the front member and the seat back. The chair is upholstered with material that is secured to each part by hook and loop, thus making the chair easy to reupholster and the fabric easy to clean.
In one form thereof, a chair is provided, including a front member, including a top surface, and a pair of first apertures adapted to receive fasteners; a pair of arm members, each of the arm members including a first flange having a pair of second apertures adapted to receive the fasteners, a U-shaped bracket secured thereto, and a plate having a third aperture therein adapted to receive a fastener; a seat back member, including first and second sides, each having a protrusion extending therefrom: the protrusion received within the U-shaped brackets, and a fourth aperture adapted to receive a fastener, and a lower edge having the ledge extending thereacross; a seat back, including first and second U-shaped members connected to a lower edge thereof, the first and second U-shaped members defining flange portions at first and second ends of the seat back, the flange portions abutting the ledge of the seat back member and the top surface of the front member; a seat cushion; a plurality of removable upholstery covers, the upholstery covers selectively disposed on the front member, the arm members, the seat back member, and the seat cushion; and a plurality of fasteners extending respectively through the first and second apertures to connect the front portion with the arm members, and through the third and fourth apertures to connect the arm members and the seat back portion.
The advantages of the present invention include lower costs because the chair includes an economy of parts and ease of assembly, which in turn provide lower cost to customers. The chair is lightweight, strong and durable and provides comfortable seating in high-use areas. The chair is reconditioned to a xe2x80x9clike-newxe2x80x9d appearance by removing worn fabric and upholstering the chair with new pieces of fabric, attaching the fabric thereto by hook and loop, thereby creating a welcome and aesthetically pleasing environment.